prodigy

noun

prod·​i·​gy ˈprä-də-jē 

plural prodigies

1

a

: a highly talented child or youth

b

: an extraordinary, marvelous, or unusual accomplishment, deed, or event

2

a

: something extraordinary or inexplicable

b

: a portentous event : omen

Did you know?

Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."

Synonyms of prodigy

• miracle
• marvel
• wonder
• phenomenon

Examples of prodigy in a Sentence

a new drug that is being hailed as the latest prodigy of the medical world

Recent Examples on the Web

The actress, 26, now stars as Oreana in Dutton Ranch, but her first-ever acting job was on One Tree Hill, in which her mom, Barbara Alyn Woods, starred for five years as Deb Scott, mom to basketball prodigy and bad boy Nathan Scott (James Lafferty). — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026

Her comeback follows a career that saw her as an elite prodigy, even beating Simone Biles, before injuries led her to retire from elite competition. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

After debuting as a prodigy at 11, Huston is now 31 and preparing to compete in his 20th X Games. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026

Not to worry—the 20-year-old tennis prodigy and first-generation American from the mellow foothills of Orange County, California, isn’t the type to make a fuss. — Jake Nevins, Vogue, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prodigium omen, monster, from pro-, prod- + -igium (akin to aio I say) — more at adage

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

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Kids Definition

prodigy

noun

prod·​i·​gy ˈpräd-ə-jē 

plural prodigies

1

: an amazing event or action : wonder

2

: an unusually talented child